Multiple speed phonograph turntable drives and selecting means therefor



Feb. 16, 1960 H. L. HARTMAN 2, 2

MULTIPLE SPEED PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE DRIVES AND SELECTING MEANS THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7. 1954 Feb. 16, 1960 H L. HARTMAN 2,924,986

MULTIPLE SPEED PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE DRIVES AND SELECTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 7. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 III I I IIIIIIII/Il OWTOR svgw.

ATTORNEYS H. L. HARTMAN MULTIPLE SPEED PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE DRIVES AND SELECTING MEANS THEREFOR Feb. 16, 1960 Filed A ril 7. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SPEED PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE DRIVES AND SELECTING MEANS THEREFOR.

Herbert-L. Hartman, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The Genezaggndustries Company, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation Appli t on Apr l .954, Serial N 4 Claims. (Cl. 74-472) My invention relates-to multiple speed phonograph turntable drives and relates more particularly-toimproved selecting-means for selecting the driving mecl ia-nisrh and maintaining the same in; a Y desired position-for: driving the rnechanism'ata desired-speed:

My present invention involves an improvementof apparatus diselosedin Unitedj States Letters Patent No. 2",438 2616, granted' to- E.- E, Ewing, and United States Eetters PatehtNo. 2,53%;265; granted to R-t Metzner.

An object of my invention isto achieve change-speed operation inafrictiondrive-mechanism of the type-re: feared 1 to which will achieve the desired purpose in a simple, reliable, expeditiou'sand effective manner.

Another-object of my-invention-is to provide animproved mechanism foralternatelymovinglasingle idler wheel -whiclr is disposed intermediately' of the; phonograph-turntable-fiange and the-driving rotor-wherebysaid idJer WheeI -maybe frictionally engaged-'with said flange and alternately with driven roller-portionswhich are of diiferent diameters; V i A furtherobject-of m-y invention is--t0-provide-an improved mechanismfor selecting: adesired speed-5 Another object'ofi' my'invention is-to providean im proved "selector means for selecting the various-speeds atwhich the phonograph mechanism is-tobe operated and inwhichdhemechanismmay be switched on and otf' with the same selector. v 1 a In Other objects of 'my invention and the'invention itself wilii be apparent to-those-skilled inthe art to which-my invention apper-tains by reference to theaccompanying drawings; in which drawings-z ate-1 is a-topplan: view of an-embodimentofv myin vention secured tea mounting plateiexposedxtovview by assuming the-cutaway; of -all: otherrpertions of: a superposediturntable: from aremaining merefragment- 0f record player portion, the latter beingshown: as engaged by etheeidlen-wheel of the said embodiment;

V ing leven If is swung to the position vindieated'ibyi the numeral" 16 is similaetothe views of- Eigs. 6, 7 and 8 with-athe exception that theview is shown with the parts'in the posi tion whichthey assume when the operating lever of-'Fig-= 1"is swun g to the position indicated-'-ofi;-

- fig 3 is..- atsectional; view: taken: on;- the line 13 -..-3rof 2,924,986 Patented Feb. 15,1960

. is ofsheet metal and the turntable 56 may-be carried on--a turntable post-- and preferably the-post-SS is journalled in'a bearing tube 57 forrotation and mounted asshown in'Figs. 1 and2.

The turntable as shown is preferably providedwitlr a=;pendant fiange'-58 having a cylindrical inner; surface with which-the rubberperipheral tread 60 of the-idler wheel is fixedly; engaged whereby rotation of" the: idler wheel may drive the turntableat a speed determined'by rate of rotation of the-said idlerwheel. 7 i

The hub of the idlerwheel 61' is provided witha bean ing sleeve 62*drive-fittedtherein, said sleeve being-journalled-on-an-upri-ght post--63 rigidly secured atits lower end to-the-yokeportion 64 of-a U-shapedslide element, generally-indicated at 70, said slide element havingparal lel arms 65 and 65' which make bearingfitting-eng-age mentwithin =slide'ways aifordedby notches laterally directed inwardly from the ends of the arms 66" and'i66 of a--rnountelement 67; in the manner disclosed in Iietters Patent-Wot 2,421,91-0-issued to Herbert L. Hartman.

v The oppositely extending pairof mount arms-66"and the oppositely extending parallelarm's-- -66, are rel'atively interspac ed imthe longitudinal direction of the extent or the slid'earms 65=and- 65' and,- with said slide arms-dis posed within the slots of said mountarms; the entire slide-element 70, Which'by-its yoke carrie'sthe' idler wheel post 63- andfidler-wheel"61, maybe moved longitudinally of the armsguided by the above designated slideways; subject 'tothe restrictions imposed upon such movement by the tensile spring-68andany'engagement h-adby theperiphery {of the idler wheel 61 with the turntable flange i 72- and a- ;diameter increased T portion-173, "a diameterin creased sleeve -74 -of greater diameter than the relat iv'ely uppermost-portions 72, 73,- said sleeve portion 74- hav ing a relativelydarger end portion 75"which' affords the portion'of largestdiameter of the steps 72;73', 74=and '7 proceeding downwardlyfromthe upper l portion* of theshafe 72 to the lowermost portionthereofi- Ibis-thns to be seen thatfour steps are provided on thedriving shaft and it-wil1= beunderstood'that these -steps= might be of greater number or of less number in various modiii cations ofi-my inventionw I l The idler wheel mount or block 67 is further providd w-i-th ahub portion-9=4 having--a-cyliiidricalbore; and is journalled upon arelatively -l0ng'er' upstandingpost J byna bearing -fitp to'ipermit such2mouht hub, to be rotationa ally andilongitudinally'reciprocated'on-isaidipost95.:

lowers portioniof:: thewpostz': 95-". terminates. in :a deduced threaded endi=95b 4 which a is: extendedt through; amaperturerina the supportin'geplate r511 :andr'openings in iwashers @955 95%; whereby the postiis rig'idly securedi bynthenut 952i.

to said plate-51:- T heNidlenwvheek-mount;fiwisiiverticailjt upwardly biased by means of a coil spring 96 loosely telescoped over the post 95 between said mount and the main supporting plate 51.

H The reduced threaded end 95b of the post 95 is of such smaller diameter and of such length that it may loosely be projected through an aperture of a controlling lever 76, an intermediate portion of which is disposed between the washers 95' and 95" and beneath the plate 51.

The lever 76 terminates in a relatively longer arm 76' which terminates in an extending lug 76a which is-adapted to contact the off and on switch indicated at O to turn the mechanism off and on. The controlling lever 76 is secured to the underside of the plate '51 by screw means 77 which are adapted to be projected through the longer arm 76' and through a selector lever to secure the same to said controlling lever by nut means 77'.

The screw means, it is to be noted, project through generally C-shaped cutout portions in the main plate. It is to be noted further that the lever 76 is provided with a relatively short arm which terminates in an upstanding flange 79 which is so cut as to provide a notch 81 to afford three substantially parallel edge surfaces 84, 87- and 88, there being a pair of diagonal edge portions 85, 85' interconnecting the horizontal portions 87 and 88, and 88 and '84, said diagonal portions being disposed at preferably .an angle of between 30 and 35 to the planesof the said horizontally extending edges.

The angle of inclination of the edges 85, '85, may of course be varied with corresponding variations in the required amount of throwof the handle portion H of the selector lever 100 whichis connected by screw andnut means 77 to the controllinglever 76. Y

Disposed in cooperative position to the slot edges 87,

67, said stem 86 afiording a cam follower adaptedto be cammingly moved to different lateral'positions and to different levels as the result of. lateral translatorymove ment of the camming lever flange 7 9.

Rotational movement of the mount 67 aboutthe-post V 95 in the clockwise direction is opposed by the tension spring 68 which interconnects the free end of theslide 70 adjacent the idler wheel post 63 and a fixed portion of the main frame 51, shown at 68' in Fig. I, said spring being so disposed as to constantly exert a pull upon the mount 67 tending to rotate it in the counter-clockwise direction.

In the apparatus of my invention the post 80, which is adapted to be engaged with a stem follower 86, operates as an abutment post ensuring that the adjustment operates particularly when shifting from a low speed driving arrangement to a high speed driving arrangement, accomplishes positiveness in the change speed operation, and ensures that the peripheral rubber tread of the idler wheel is not at any time subjected to an abrasive rubbing when passing over the upper -corner of the lowermost largest driving roller step. Atthe same time, the provision of such an abutment post achieves a desirable result of accomplishing repeated uniform movements of the idler wheel whether or not the manually adjustable lever handle H is swung rapidly or slowly. The post 80 is further provided with a groove 80 to afford clearance for the stem 86 when the mechanismis in its off position which is disposed beyond the. 78 r.p.m. position shown in the drawing. Y

r The selector lever 100 of which the handle H is an integral part, said handle projecting outwardly from the main plate 51, as illustrated in the figures of drawing herein, is of generally arcuate form and is provided with a handle portion H, a stepped shoulder 101 connecting said handle portion to a portion of relatively wider extent, said portion being termed -the intermediate portion 102, and a free end of relatively less width than the POI-.- tion designated by the reference character 103., w

The intermediate portion 102 is provided with apertures 102 through which the screw means 77 are projected, said screw means being also projected-through aligned apertures in the controlling lever 76, the controlling lever 76 being disposed on the under side of the plate '51 and the selector lever 100 being disposedon the upper side of the plate '51, the screw means being disposed further through the severally arcuate spaced cut out portions shown at c and d in the main plate 51.

. The free end 103 of the selector lever is provided with location notches, preferably four in number inthe modification shown, namely, 106, 107, 108 and 109, being adapted to seat a detent button 112 mounted at the free end of a third lever 110 securely mounted on the main plate 51 at 111, said lever. having an ear 113 disposed outwardly and intermediately of the rest of the lever, an aperture 114 in the ear 113 being adapted to seat a tension spring 115, which is secured at its other end to a down struck lug 116 of the plate 51. Said detent button is adapted to lock the speed change mechanism in any selected position by means of engagement of the button 112 with any of the notches 10640 9, inclusive, the notch 109 being adapted to have engagement with the locking or detent button 112 when the speed selecting mechaanism is in the position indicated for operation at 33 r.p.m., the notch 108 adapted to receive the button 112 to lock the mechanism in its r.p.m. operating position, the notch 107' adapted to have-the button seated therein when thehandle is moved to the 78 rpm. position and the notch 106 is adapted to receive the said locking button when the mechanism is switched at its off position, at which time the lug 76a turns the;.,off and on switch off. ,The lever'llll whicli carries the locating button 112 on the free. end is adapted to move laterally in the end of the cut out c adjacent the lever connection 110 and an arrow indicates the direction of movement thereof. The spring 115 yieldingly exerts pressure when the portions of the selector lever disposed intermediate its adjacent notches are engaged by the button when the selector button is in movement from one speed change to another.

During the selection of speed by the operator, movement of the handle H causes the camming stem .86- to assume the positions shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive. Fig. 6

shows the stem follower 86 in the 33 r.p.m. position. Fig. 7 shows the stem follower at an intermediate position between the 33 r.p.m. and the 45 r.p.m. position. Fig. 8 showsthe stem follower 86 in the 78 r.p.m. position and Fig. 9 shows the stem follower in the o position and in the position permitted by the groove 80 to assist in clearance for the same in said position.

The operation of the change speed adjustment mechanism of my invention will now be described beginning with the parts shown in the position of Fig. 11 where the end 76a of the lever 76 is shown with the switch 0 in itsbfi position. It will be noted that the idler wheel 60 in this position is in spaced. relation with the stepped shaft 69 and the stem follower 86 is in the position shown in Fig. 9 with relation to the abutment post 80 and the upstanding flange 79 of the lever 76. Then when the handle H is grasped and the selector lever is moved in a counter-clockwise direction a slight distance the detent button 112 may be moved into engagement with the notch 107 at which time the stem follower 86, by reason of themovement of the flange 79 by means of movement of the lever 76 secured to the selector lever 100, is moved to the position shown in Fig. 8 and out of engagement with the abutment post 80, which moves the idler wheel 61 into peripheral driving engagement with with the stepped roller 74 until the follower 'is seated against the edge'surface 87, the locating button 112 is seated within the notch 108to lock the same in its se lected position and the rim 60 of the idler wheel 61 engages the reduced roller step 73 of the shaft 69 and the idler wheel is driven at a speed of 45 rpm.

When the handle is moved to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, that portionof the lever 100 positinned intermediately of the notch 8 and 109 moves the detent button 112 out of engagement with the notch 108 and outwardly thereof and the idler wheel is moved upwardly from engagement with the step 73 of the shaft 69, as best illustrated in Fig. 10, and the stem follower 86 is disposed along the diagonal surf-ace 85, as shown in Fig. 7, until it is positioned against the edge surface 84, as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the locating or locking button 112 is seated within the notch 109, the idler wheel 61 has its rim portion disposed in engagement with the uppermost step of the shaft 69, namely, the step 72 as shown in Fig. 4 and the turntable is driven at 33 rpm. In each instance during change of speed when the handle is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, it will be noted, the idler wheel is progressively stepped up in engagement with the driving steps.

It will be clearly understood that the reverse movement of the handle, e.g. in the clockwise direction, will cause a reversal of the movement herein described except that in such reverse movement during said speed change the idler wheel is withdrawn from engagement with any of the steps during the speed change.

I claim:

1. A change speed mechanism for phonograph turntables of the type comprising a horizontally disposed idler wheel interposed between and peripherally engaged with a motor shaft driving roller and an annular flange of said turntable, a spring for resiliently maintaining said engagement, and a mount carrying said wheel near one end and being pivoted for swinging movement near the other end, said spring-resiliently constraining the wheel carrying end of said mount toward one swinging direction, the combination with said wheel, spring, mount, roller and flange with said roller characterized by having relativelyv stepped axially aligned, friction driving roller portions of different diameters, a manually operable change speed controller comprising a handle alternately movable between lirnits in opposite directions, said speed controller having a plurality of laterally spaced peripheral notches, a pair of respectively cam and cam follower elements, one of said elements being movable in opposite directions responsive to corresponding movements of said handie and the other element adapted to be cammingly moved responsive to movement of the first element, said latter element adapted to communicate movement to said mount to displace said wheel from engagement from a predetermined roller step and to effect movement of said Wheel'to the plane of another roller step and said pair of cam and cam follower elements adapted to effect release of said wheel at said plane to permit said spring to retractively effect engagement of said wheel with said another roller step, locking means adapted to' be seated within respective of said notches insaid speed controller to lock said mechanism in the said selected speed, said speed controller carrying switch engaging means, a motor on and off switch adapted to be engaged by said switch engaging means upon movementof said handle,

2.'A change speed mechanis m for phonograph turntables of the type comprising a horigontally disposed idler wheel interposed between and peripherally engaged with amotor shaft driving roller and an annular flangetof'said turntable, a spring vfor resiliently maintaining said engagement, and a mount carrying said wheel near one end and being pivoted for swinging movement near the other end, said spring resiliently constraining the wheel carrying end of said mount toward one swing- .ing direction, the combination with said wheel, spring,

mount, roller and flange with said roller characterized by having relatively stepped, axially aligned, friction driving roller portions of different diameters, a manually operable change speed controller comprising a handle alternately movable between limits in opposite directions, said speed controller having a plurality of laterally spaced peripheral notches, a pair of respectively cam and cam follower elements, one of said elements being "movable in opposite directions responsive to corresponding movements of said handle'and the other element elements adapted to effect release of said wheel at said plane to permit said spring to retractively effect engagement of said wheel with said another roller step, locking means adapted to be seated within respective ofsaid notches in said speed controller to lock said mechanism in the said selected speed, said speed controller carrying switch engaging means, a motor on and off switch adapted to be engaged by said switch engaging means upon movement of said handle, one of said notches adapted to be engaged by said locking means when the handle is moved to maintain said switch in said selected on or off position.

3. A speed selecting mechanism for phonograph turntables of the type comprising an idler wheel interposed between and peripherally engaged with a driving roller and an annular surface of said turntable, a mounting plate for said turntable, a mount secured to said plate above the same and carrying said idler wheel having a cam follower secured thereto, said speed selecting mechanism comprising a lever pivotally mounted below said plate, a selector portion disposed above said plate, said lever actuable in response to movement of said selector portion, said selector portion comprising a handle, an intermediate portion, and a portion having a plurality of notches disposed along an outer edge thereof, said lever having a camming surface disposed upwardly therefrom, an arcuate guideway in said mounting plate, said camming surface projecting therethrough whereby it is disposed above said mounting plate, said lever being provided with an outwardly extending projection, a second lever secured to said mounting plate beneath said plate, locking means secured to said second lever and adapted to be seated by movement of saidselector portion into different of said notches in response to manual movement of said selector portion, said movement of said selector portion causing the camming surface of said first mentioned lever to engage said cam follower to differently dispose said idler wheel with respect to said driving roller to drive the same at different speeds, on or off switch means adapted to be engaged by said projection of said first mentioned lever upon movement of said handle of said selector portion. p

4. A speed selecting mechanism for phonograph turntables of the type comprising an idler wheel interposed between and peripherally engaged with a driving roller and an annular surface of said turntable, said driving roller characterized by having friction drive roller portions of different diameters, a mounting plate for said second lever, locking means secured to said second lever and adapted to be seated by movement of said selector portion into diflerent of said notches in response to 15 manual movement of said selector portion, said movement of said selector portion causing said second cam means to engage said first cam means to differently disidler wheel with respect to said driving roller to drive the same at different speeds, on or off switch means adapted to be engaged by said projection of said first mentioned lever upon movement of said selector portion, counter-clockwise movement of said selector portion progressively stepping up the idler wheel in engagement with different diameter driving steps of the driving roller and clockwise movement of said handle withdrawing the idler wheel during each speed change from engagement with any of the driving steps of the driving roller during speed change. 7

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hardy"; Feb. 5, 1952 Da Costa Mar. 11, 1952 

